Learn about the tools I use to set myself up for restful and restorative sleep.
Overview:
Across your lifetime, you will spend more hours sleeping and trying to fall asleep than any other activity. Scientists have estimated that the average person will spend 26 years sleeping and an additional seven years trying to fall asleep(i). Of course, there is no shortage of articles espousing the importance of sleep and the mechanisms behind it, so I will save that for those who understand the science better than I do. Yet despite the wealth of information highlighting the positive impact of quality sleep on your body and mind and the amount of time you will spend doing it, in my experience, most people are dramatically under-investing in their sleep setup, or sleep "stack."
In the fitness world, a supplement "stack" is when multiple products you are taking work synergistically to give you the best results. Over the years, I have experimented with countless tools to help me get to sleep faster, sleep deeper, and wake up feeling more refreshed. Below are seven items across various price brackets that are a consistent part of my sleep stack.
My Sleep Stack
Alaska Bear Sleep Mask ($15) – A dark environment is a critical aspect of setting yourself up for quality sleep, but since you can't always control your sleep environment, a sleep mask can be a cheap and effective substitute. Alaska Bear is the sleep mask that I have continued to come back to, and I have recommended it to countless people. It is comfortable, affordable, and available in a range of colors.
Ear Plugs ($9) - Humans have used their hearing as an early warning system for potential threats while asleep for thousands of years. Though this served us well through our evolution, the modern environment most of us live in is filled with people, technology, and pets that have the potential to disrupt our sleep. Ear plugs are another cheap and simple tool for deeper sleep that has become non-negotiable for me.
Mouth Tape ($16)- Taping your mouth closed when you sleep might sound a bit crazy, but chronic mouth breathing can have severe health impacts. Dry mouth, irritated gums, and snoring-induced sleep apnea can be detrimental to the quality of your sleep. Even though it will take some getting used to, mouth tape can be an effective way to relieve yourself and your bed partner if you are a snorer.
Purple Pillow ($134) - I suffered from a sore neck and increased snoring for a long time because I didn't have the right pillow. Eventually, I came across the Purple Pillow and have yet to look back. The gel construction means it always keeps its shape, never needs fluffing, and never gets hot. As a result, it helps provide a consistent and comfortable sleep every night.
Theragun Prime ($299) - Setting yourself up for good sleep begins well before hopping into bed. After a long day and a hard workout, a quick massage is an effective way to calm the body and release the day's tension. I do this for five minutes right before I get into bed, which helps me relax faster and fall asleep quickly.
Chili Sleep: Dock Pro ($975) - I have always been someone who sleeps hot, and though this could be somewhat managed while living alone, it gets much more challenging when considering someone else’s preferences. The Dock Pro by Chili Sleep is a temperature-controlled mattress pad that allows you to completely customize the temperature of your bed over the course of the night. It has been the most impactful product I have ever used related to my sleep. Getting to the right body temperature and managing the fluctuations throughout the night is a critical piece of our sleep architecture and one of the most common sleep disruptors. Truthfully, I have had many issues with the older model of this product, its quality, and its software. However, even with those issues, I hate sleeping without it. I am optimistic that the new Dock Pro model has resolved these issues and is a reliable option. For a less budget-friendly option, I highly recommend looking into the Eight Sleep Pod Pro, the ultimate sleep optimization tool.
Helix Mattress ($1000+) - Your mattress is the foundation of your sleep stack, and unless it is designed for how you usually sleep, you are fighting an uphill battle, and all the other items on this list are akin to a band-aid for sleep quality. Finding the right mattress can be difficult because it is hard to get a true feel in just a few minutes in a store. Thankfully there has been a wave of new direct-to-consumer mattress companies aiming to help you find the right fit. In our case, we tried Helix, using their sleep quiz to determine which model was suitable for us and how we sleep (back and side sleep). We ended up going with the Midnight Luxe. A new mattress can be a significant investment, but the cost per night over a 7–10-year period is minuscule compared to the benefits it will provide. To help make the decision process more manageable, most of these companies offer a 100-day free return policy to ensure it is right for you.
Summary:
While all these items have sleep benefits, I have found that the real power comes from using them together in a system. They set me up for restful and restorative sleep, a keystone of a healthy life.
Sources:
(i) Aminoff MJ, Boller F, Swaab DF. We spend about one-third of our life either sleeping or attempting to do so. Handb Clin Neurol. 2011;98:vii. doi: 10.1016/B978-0-444-52006-7.00047-2. PMID: 21056174.
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